Ham & Mixed Beans - Lazy Cooker

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I had never had ham & beans until one of our groups at church invited us to one of their annual Christmas dinner events. So, the hubby & I decided we would go & mingle with the group while enjoying these ham & beans with cornbread we'd heard so much about.

Now then, hubby has apparently been a fan of ham & beans. He especially loves the cornbread! But this might mean I would have to figure out how to fix this meal. Amm-i-rite? And I had gotten some dry beans (15 bean mix) and wasn't sure what to do with them, but then we had some leftover ham...so...time to make some ham & beans!

After looking thru and researching a LOT of ham & bean recipes, this is what I came up with:

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HAM & BEANS

Lazy Cooker

Ingredients:

1 lb bag (mixed) beans
1-3 cans white beans (i.e. Navy, Northern, Canelli, etc.) rinsed & drained
8 C (apprx.) chunked/cubed ham
¼ C minced onion
1 T garlic powder
½ T onion powder
½ C brown sugar
1 T honey
2 bay leaves
(kosher/sea/table) salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 t lemon juice
¼ C celery, chopped
¼ C carrot, chopped or shredded
1 t chili powder (more if you want more kick)
42 oz. chicken broth + additional water (if needed)
1 T apple cider (optional)
1 t allspice
1 T cinnamon

Directions:

* Place dried beans in a large pot or bowl & soak beans for at least 8 hours (i.e. overnight) or longer in about 2 qts. water  

* When good & soaked, drain the beans & rinse them. 

* Spray the inside of your lazy cooker with vegetable cooking spray. 

* Place the soaked & rinsed beans into the lazy cooker

* Cover with chicken broth & enough water to about an inch over the beans

* Cube the ham (I used leftover ham) to 1” squared or smaller and add to the lazy cooker

* Add the lemon juice, cider (optional), honey, veggies, spices, brown sugar, salt & pepper (not the bay leaves) to the lazy cooker & stir

* Add the bay leaves into the lazy cooker

* Cover & set the lazy cooker to high for 4-5 hours

* After the 4-5 hours, add the rinsed, canned white beans, stir, then set low for another 4 hours

* Remove bay leaves & stir

~ Serve with cornbread.

~~ Yield: Approximately 12

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* NOTE: I really love the appley zing of the cider. If I don't have any around, I will add an envelope of apple cider mix. That's how I roll.

My kids really won't eat beans...and we have that darn non-pork-eating kid! So it's mostly my hubby & I that eat it...but so worth it!! And my hubby LOVES it! So do I!

Oh...I just make a cornbread from a mix...and my hubby still loves it, too! The kids will eat the cornbread with some honey butter.

No matter...it is awesome smelling & perfect comfort food for a cold night! Or anytime for that matter. Plus? It's pretty!! I love the color & variety in the beans. YUM!

ENJOY!

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P.S. ~ For a New Year's version, add a can of black eyed peas, rinsed & drained, plus a 16 oz bag of cole slaw mix or a head of chopped cabbage. Add these in with the white beans. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Easy Irish Cream Pistachio Mousse

So, I got thinking...

On St. Patrick's Day, everyone mixes up Irish fare & just eating things that are green or green in color. Well, I decided to make a semi-Irish dessert based on a recipe I've already used!

The Easy Egg Nog Mousse (CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE) has been adapted for the Irish holiday. So I bring you:

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EASY IRISH CREAM PISTACHIO MOUSSE

Ingredients:

1 large box pistachio instant pudding
2 C Irish Cream creamer - (I used Bailey's non-alcoholic Irish Cream coffee creamer)
1 small (8 oz) tub whipped topping - like Cool Whip

Directions:

Place all pudding mix and Irish Cream together in a medium to large bowl. 

Whisk together until completely mixed & set in refrigerator for about 5 minutes to let set slightly.

Remove from refrigerator, then slowly add in the whipped topping by folding it in.

Mix all together very well!

OK to serve from this point, or let set for longer in the refrigerator.

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Yep! That's it, people! And it is a taste of heaven! I promise you!

ENJOY!

(Shortcut) Coconut Lime Cheese Danish

**Adapted by this recipe RIGHT HERE that I found on Pinterest by The Country Cook (TheCountryCook.net) quite some time ago.

I made these shortcut danish pastries quite some time back, and really enjoyed them! But I just haven't gotten around to making them a second time, until recently...

For some bizarre reason, I had a craving for cheesecake...but not just any cheesecake! I wanted Key Lime Cheesecake!! Then the creaminess made me think about these pastries...and I got thinking...

"What if I make the cheese part of the danish lime-flavored?"

Mmmmm...I was entertaining myself with this idea quite a bit! And then...I kind of wanted to add coconut for a tropical kind of flavor blend. So, I bring you...

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(SHORTCUT) COCONUT LIME CHEESE DANISH

*Pastry Ingredients:

2 cans crescent rolls (I used the big & buttery variety)
3 T butter, melted
8 T brown sugar
8 T shredded coconut (plus a little more for the top)
1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 T lime juice


*Glaze Ingredients:

1/2 C powdered sugar
1 t coconut extract
1 1/2 t lime juice
4 t milk

Directions: (You can follow the picture instructions from the link, above, to help make sense)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Combine cream cheese, sugar, and lime juice in a small bowl. Mix until smooth & creamy

Open cans of crescent rolls & separate into 8 rectangles & then seal the perforations by pinching them

With spoon or brush (I used a brush) cover each rectangle with melted butter

Sprinkle each rectangle with 1 T brown sugar

Place 1 T of coconut down the diagonal perforation of each rectangle

From long end of crescent roll rectangle to long end & then pinch each end to "seal"

Loosely coil each roll to make a spiral

Take fingers & lightly mash & make a "well" in the middle of each pastry

Fill each well of the pastry with about 2 T of the lime cream cheese mix

Take just a few shreds of coconut & sprinkle on top of the cheese-filled well

Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes (until the pastry is golden brown & coconut topping is getting toasty)

Then mix the glaze:

in a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, coconut extract, lime juice & milk and make sure all is mixed until smooth

Drizzle glaze mixture over each warm danish pastry

** Makes 8 danishes

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Oh my...these turned out SO good! Are they good for you? Close your eyes & pretend they are...cuz they are worth it!!

ENJOY!

Gingerbread Streusel

Back when I did the EASY FAKE-OUT EGG NOG MOUSSE, I pointed out that I also had created a gingerbread streusel for the perfect topping for it!

Somewhere in my head, I was imagining a great topping that had a holiday flavor to it. I've seen where others have just crushed or crumbled gingersnaps to add, but I thought maybe a streusel would be easier to handle. I say that since I wanted to top a cake I did with a streusel & really liked how it handled. Plus...it was really easy to make!

So I went on a search for a gingerbread streusel...cuz...how hard could that be? Well, apparently pretty difficult! I couldn't find ANY! I decided to research gingerbread recipes & came created a gingerbread streusel!

So...if love gingerbread...this is for you!!!

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GINGERBREAD STREUSEL

Ingredients

1 C flour

1 C brown sugar, packed

¼ C butter, softened

1 ½ T ground ginger

1 ½ T ground cinnamon

1 t ground cloves

¼ t ground nutmeg

1 T water

          Directions

Mix all ingredients together until crumbly

** Store in an air-tight container

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I was so taken with my tiny dessert, I wanted it for breakfast. But how do I pass it off without looking totally insane? (Hey! I hear you laughing at that!) By pretending it's a dish from IHOP & adding it to pancakes (pictured above).

Yep, I totally piled the mousse on top of the pancakes & then topped that with the streusel...and with red, green & white sprinkles. You know, to visually give it that holiday touch...like at IHOP!

You can top cakes, pies or breads with it, too! You will NOT be disappointed!

Oh...and...YUM!!!

ENJOY!

Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

We really enjoy eating Mexican around here. Tacos are a staple favorite. It's one of the few things that we know everyone will eat. Nachos, enchiladas & taco mac are also big hits. I think this is about the only line of things my whole family will eat together. Seriously.

Now, even though some of my family freaks out over soup...cuz they are weird...I will have issues with them trying this new version. But...I am quite happy with it!

So...wanna try to make it, too?

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Cilantro Lime Mexican Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

2 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1/2 C lime juice

80 oz chicken broth

4 C brewed green tea (yes! Green Tea)

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

2 C finely chopped spinach or kale (or other dark leafy greens)

1 - 10 oz can cilantro lime Ro-Tel

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 small can whole kernel corn - no salt added, drained & rinsed

1/4 bell pepper of each color (red, orange, yellow & green)

Ground black pepper, to taste

3 T ground ginger

1/4 C parsley

3 T ground cinnamon

1/4 C cilantro

3 T smoked paprika

2 T chili powder

2 T garlic powder

2 T green onion

2 T cumin

1 T onion powder

1 bag whole wheat egg noodles

Pour lime juice, chicken broth & green tea into a large pot. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn heat down to mid-hi heat. Put in the shredded chicken (I put the chicken breasts in my lazy cooker in the morning so it would be cooked thru & easy to shred by the time I made the soup) into the broth.

Begin adding the vegetables plus the herbs & seasonings to the soup. Continue to let boil on mid-hi heat.

Then add the noodles. Make sure they are tender.

Begin testing the soup's broth to make sure seasonings are to your liking; adjust as necessary.

Let simmer.

Garnish with shredded cheese & tortilla chips (crushed or strips). Serve.

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I made this version after I made the LEMON HERB RAINBOW CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH GREEN TEA and based it off the same soup. So still the healing properties...and still the beautiful comfort food!

Aye-yi-yi...I think I need another bowl.

Soup's on, y'all!!

ENJOY!

Easy Fake-Out Egg Nog Mousse

My family began a brand new holiday family tradition this year. I say "tradition" since we plan on doing it for the rest of forever, or as long as we can. We put numbers in a bowl & had everyone draw a numbered slip out. That would be the order we would we would each choose a holiday movie & a Christmas treat for everyone to enjoy. We would spread it out over the month of December...or from right after Thanksgiving on.

It came to be my turn. And since someone had already chosen egg nog I decided to make an egg nog mousse (a slightly adapted recipe I found) instead & then created a gingerbread streusel since I couldn't find a recipe for one anywhere. (recipe HERE)

We have had some tiny dessert spoons tucked away for a very long time. I, then, found some tall shot glasses at Target for $1 each. So I made a trendy dessert shot that is all Christmas-y & stuff! And I turned them into tiny trifles.

For now, here is the egg nog mousse fake out I used:

EASY (FAKE-OUT) EGG NOG MOUSSE

Ingredients

1 lg pkg instant vanilla pudding mix

3 ½ C VERY cold prepared egg nog

1 sm tub whipped topping

Directions

1. Mix instant pudding mix & egg nog together, whisking for about 2 minutes

2. Let set in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes, or until set

3. Remove from the refrigerator & add in the tub of whipped topping, whisking together until fully mixed together

4. Place back into refrigerator to set until slightly firm

5. Serve

It's easy as that, folks! Then, to make the trifle, I layered the mousse with the streusel & some dehydrated tiny marshmallows!

Tiny trifle layered in tall shot glasses

So adorable, so festive, so tasty!

Or you can just place the mousse in a bowl & top with more whipped cream. Just as good!

And stay tuned for the streusel recipe coming soon...

ENJOY!

Adapted Authentic Dublin Coddle - Lazy Cooker

This year, for St. Patrick's Day, I had to celebrate my Irish heritage! This totally includes the food. And I'm not talking turning mashed potatoes green or serving up the completely American dish of corned beef & cabbage! I wanted something more authentic for the family to enjoy, so I found Dublin Coddle. It's Irish sausage, bacon, potatoes & onion all in a broth. I did mine in the lazy cooker & a couple of adaptations...but here's what I used:

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DUBLIN CODDLE 

(in the lazy cooker)

Ingredients:
1 lb. (Irish) Sausage* - thickly cut
1 lb. Bacon*+ - thickly sliced
1 lb. potatoes, diced/quartered (I used quartered baby potatoes in gold, red & purple)
1-2 onion(s), thickly sliced (I used 1 medium yellow onion)
4 C water OR broth/stock (ham, chicken, beef)
2 bouillon cubes (chicken or beef - if using water)
1/4 C chopped parsley
1 T salt (I used fine sea salt)
1 T black pepper

* Because we have a non-pork eater in the house, I used turkey bacon & turkey smoked sausage. I added minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary & some marjoram to mimic Irish sausage.

+ I used the American version of bacon since Ireland views cured pork loin as bacon. Since we have a non-pork eater, I stuck with the turkey bacon. I also baked the turkey bacon at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, but should have done 20. Set on cooling racks resting in foil-lined baking sheets/jelly roll pans to catch the grease. Then I cut each bacon slice into slightly smaller pieces. I should have cut it into much smaller bits.

Directions:

After spraying the inside of the lazy cooker with cooking spray, place liquid in the insert. Place sausage, bacon, potato pieces & onion slices into the pot, along with bouillon cubes (if using water for your liquid). Add in all of the seasonings.

~~ I had some leftover chopped greens from another dish, so I added it to the Coddle. This could be kale, collard greens, turnip greens (you could throw in the turnip, all sliced up, too), mustard greens, etc. But the original recipe does NOT call for this!

Place the lid on the lazy cooker, make sure it's plugged in & turned onto low for 4-6 hours. (I placed on high for 1 hour, and then low for the rest of the time...and it came out great.)

Stir & serve.

You could probably add in some stout beer, like Guinness, to the pot, too!

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All I know is that the Dublin Coddle turned out to be amazing comfort food for a chilly day! I so want to do it again!

I served it with Mustard Dill slaw. It didn't turn out as great. Too much bite for us. So we may end up scrapping the mustard & dill part. I think sticking with our favorite KFC-style cole slaw will work out just fine from now on! Plus, due to timing issues, I just served a loaf of Old Style Potato bread. Meh. 

I hope to have time to make Traditional Irish Soda Bread next year. But the plate sure was pretty!

I followed up this hearty meal with my APPLE IRISH CREAM CAKE for dessert! I was so happy with this much more authentic meal!

Dublin Coddle & a slice of Apple Irish Cream Cake

This is also a challenge for you to either try Dublin Coddle or find another authentic Irish dish for St. Paddy's Day. Corned Beef is not your answer. If you like it...have it another time.

But in the meantime...

ENJOY!

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UPDATE: Made on the stovetop...

It's April 23rd, and I decided to make the coddle for lunch. It's a cold & nasty, wet day. It's a perfect day for warm comfort food. Since a couple of my potatoes were going bad before they were supposed to, I thought I'd better use 'em up. So I threw my stuff in a pot on the stove. Here's how that went:

Directions:

Since I try to make turkey smoked sausage mimic the likes of Irish sausage, and had already planned on making this dish very soon, I cut up the sausage into chunks & placed them into an airtight container with the garlic, thyme & rosemary. I punctured the sausage pieces so they could absorb the flavorings better. My original plan was to marinade it this way the night before hand, but I let it set for a couple of days...only because of family scheduling being out of whack.

I had some beef broth to use. I poured it into a large pot on the stove. I also had a couple of chicken bouillon cubes that I threw in, too. I brought it to a boil, then added parsley, salt & pepper. After letting that boil for a moment. While I let the broth boil, I cut up my potatoes & onion. 

After letting the seasonings boil for a moment, I turned the heat to mid-hi, then added the potatoes & onion slices. I, then added in the marinaded sausage. I placed about 1 cup of water in the sausage container, closed it, shook it up, and then poured the water & remaining marinade into the pot. I didn't have time to work up any bacon, so I threw in some turkey bacon bits that we had on hand.

Then I brought all of that up to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and then placed the pot's lid on top. I allowed the coddle to simmer for 45 minutes to about an hour...until the potatoes were tender.

Once the potatoes are good & tender, serve it up! YUM!

Lemon Herb Rainbow Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

This year was supposed to have been the worst flu season on record! And not just flu, but a lot of other junk along with it. And I got hit with yucks. Mine was strep. Ewwww... 

I had been working so hard to stay well, but it didn't really happen. Instead, I had to fight to regain getting well & healthy again.

So, I have decided to take hold of the the chicken & noodles kick. I made some chicken noodle soup designed to help kick this crud where it counts!

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Lemon Herb Rainbow Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Tea

2 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1/2 C lemon juice

80 oz chicken broth

4 C brewed green tea (yes! Green Tea)

1 C celery, chopped

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

1 C carrot, shredded

2 C finely chopped spinach or kale (or other dark leafy greens)

** other vegetables, fresh or frozen - (i.e. bell peppers - all colors, chopped; corn kernels; peas, shelled; butternut or any other squash, chopped; etc.) - the more color, the better...this is the "rainbow"

1 T salt (any)

Ground black pepper, to taste

3 T ground ginger

1/4 C parsley

3 T oregano

3 T basil

2 T thyme

2 T garlic powder

2 T cumin

1 bag whole wheat egg noodles

Pour lemon juice, chicken broth & green tea into a large pot. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn heat down to mid-hi heat. Put in the shredded chicken (I put the chicken breasts in my lazy cooker in the morning so it would be cooked thru & easy to shred by the time I made the soup) into the broth.

Begin adding the vegetables plus the herbs & seasonings to the soup. Continue to let boil on mid-hi heat.

Then add the noodles. Make sure they are tender.

Begin testing the soup's broth to make sure seasonings are to your liking; adjust as necessary.

Let simmer.

Serve.

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This soup is PACKED with the good for you stuffs! And, it was pretty good. I toned down the amount of lemon juice...I used about 2 cups of it when I first made it...and it was REALLY strong! Didn't need quite that much. Half a cup was just perfect!

And? It's a beautiful comfort food, too!

So...stay well, my friends.

ENJOY!